The invention relates generally to the field of functional entertainment systems for youth. More particularly, the invention relates to a fun, interactive system of elements including and thematically-related to interchangeable, attachable design-bearing ornaments.
Children generally love to decorate things, and they frequently prefer ordinary articles (e.g., clothing, backpacks, hats, their hair, etc.) which include or can be altered to include interesting, colorful, fun designs.
Many products exist that allow children to decorate articles. For example, paints, dyes, and even sparkly gels can be applied to fabrics and other surfaces. However, some of these products, once applied, become permanent, and cannot be removed without damaging the article. Therefore, the applied design becomes relatively inalterable. Conversely, for those products that can be removed once applied (e.g., washed or otherwise treated to remove the product), removal permanently destroys the design.
Alternatively, designs in the form of patches can be sewn onto fabric articles, such as clothing, hats, backpacks, etc. While sewn patches can be later removed, removal may be difficult, can damage the product, and repeated application is very time consuming.
Decorative pins (and rivet-type devices) can be fastened to articles, but repeated attachment and removal of sharp pins from an article each time a child wishes to change his or her design choice presents an increased danger from accidental pin sticks of a child's fingers. Additionally, repeated perforation of the fabric can cause premature wear in a fabric. Further, each pin is nothing more than what it is. A pin featuring, for example, the HELLO KITTY™ character design is and always remains just a pin, and likewise continues to embody just the HELLO KITTY™ character. Thus, such items are static, and their popularity and use is subject to a child's waxing and waning enthusiasm for that design.
Some prior art concepts confine their applicability to items of apparel and/or require such times to be specially manufactured and/or irreversibly altered to include specialized structural features (smooth PVC substrate, sewn-on hook-and-loop fasteners, etc.), to enable attachment of detachable design elements. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,982,115, 5,845,334 and 5,136,726, among others. Some such concepts include a graphic design formed at the surface of the apparel item and/or corresponding designs at one or more of the attachable elements. However, as stated, the design and any theme (i.e., a game or scene) embodied therein does not extend beyond the apparel item and the attachable elements. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,734,991 and 6,982,115.
Other concepts include each of a self-contained story board and/or story quilt, with attachable design elements and a theme (i.e., doll house) embodied thereupon (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,540,609 and 5,733,166). These patent documents also describe a wristband with a hook-and-loop fastener element provided thereupon for attaching a doll (i.e., human- or animal-shaped) thereto.
Various children's books and/or wall-mounted structures are known which include pockets and/or hook-and-loop fastener portions configured to receive design-bearing items, such as stuffed, cloth dolls. Although such books, etc. typically have a design theme provided therein, neither the theme and thematic features, nor the attachability, extend beyond the scope of the book or other structure and the included dolls or other design-bearing items. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,853,994, 5,523,129.
Another shortcoming in kids' play articles is the absence of a rich, interactive story underlying easily and universally transferable design-bearing items, and extending throughout a plurality of other interactive play structures, locations, and contextual variations. Certainly there's no on-going story behind a tube of paint or glitter-gel. The purpose of such passive products is simply to decorate an article according to a child's whim, and any interconnection or relationship with other designs or activities is quite limited. The fact that the prior art is devoid of such systems indicates either or both of non-recognition of such a system, or the presence of a long-felt but unmet need.